Photo by JOHN HAEGER
Chelsea L. Kuss sits with her attorney, Bob Durr, as she is sentenced in Madison County on Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, to 3 1/3 to 10 years in prison in relation to a May 24, 2010 accident that left one person dead and another severely injured.

WAMPSVILLE -- The teen driver involved in a crash that killed a Liverpool High School student and critically injured a Bridgeport woman in May 2010 has been sentenced to 3 1/3 to 10 years in state prison Monday.

On May 24, 2010, Chelsea L. Kuss, 18, of Syracuse was driving 17-year-old Victoria Deverso's SUV on Route 31 in Sullivan, when it hit a minivan head-on. Deverso, a passenger in the SUV, was killed in the crash and the driver of the other vehicle, Peggy Blume, 38, of Bridgeport, was critically injured.

Following the crash, it was determined that Kuss had a blood alcohol content of .13 percent.

More than 70 people watched the sentencing, including Deverso's family and friends, who wore black T-shirts with a purple heart which read, "Live for today because tomorrow is never promised." Other friends wore a yellow T-shirt reading, "You are my sunshine."

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Deverso's father, Christopher Deverso, wore her Wegmans name tag as he read a statement about his daughter to the court.

He said she was always there to help her friends and that she was "their backbone." Her death changed his life "in every way that life could possibly be altered," he said.

The dreams of seeing her graduate and some day walking her down the aisle at her wedding will never be possible now, he said, adding that all his memories of her growing up are now "shadowed by pain."

Madison County District Attorney Bill Gabor read a written statement by Deverso's mother, Elizabeth Deverso, who said "life is foggy every day" as she continues to grieve.

She hoped for the maximum sentence for Kuss because she made the choice to drive after drinking and is responsible for the results.

Elizabeth Deverso said she wanted Kuss "to serve enough time to impact her selfish character."

Gabor also read a written statement by Blume's husband, Steve, who called the day of the crash, "one of the blackest days" in his life.

He thinks about the tragedy every day and still recalls being unable to recognize her at the hospital because of her injuries.

In the same statement, Peggy Blume said the recovery has been "very slow and at times frustrating."

"I'm so sorry for what I did," she said, adding that she thinks of Victoria Deverso every day and about the decision that she made to drive.

"I will regret May 24 for the rest of my life," she said.

Kuss admitted in court that the crash took place after she made a drive to Sylvan Beach while drinking cans of Four Loko, an alcoholic beverage with caffeine.

Kuss said that backing out of the parking space at Sylvan Beach was the last thing she remembered.

Police said the SUV was traveling at 84 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone with the vehicle weaving in and out of traffic. Blume was on her way to work when she saw the oncoming SUV and pulled onto the shoulder before the head-on collision.

Kuss' attorney Bob Durr told the judge that Kuss is "very sorry" for the victims and her own family because she let them all down. He said Kuss had wanted to reach out to the families of the victims but for legal reasons was advised against doing that.

She accepts responsibility for her actions, Durr said.

Kuss pleaded guilty to the three charges against her.

Before handing down the sentence, Madison County Judge Biagio DiStefano said to Kuss that there is something greater than her pain and that thing is death.

"No parent should outlive their child," he said.

He said the crash was the result of "selfish and reckless" actions, quoting witnesses who said Kuss was known to say, "I am a good drunk driver."

Kuss was given an indeterminate sentence of 3 1/3 to 10 years for aggravated vehicular homicide, a class B felony. She was also sentenced to a maximum of one year for driving while intoxicated and a maximum of 30 days for reckless driving, which will be served concurrently.

She was not granted youthful offender status. She waived her right to appeal the sentence.

Kuss will also have driver's license revoked, pay more than $300 in surcharges and in accordance with Leandra's Law, she will have to install an ignition interlock system in any car she drives after she's released.

Gabor said he was "more than satisfied" with the sentence.

He said it serves as a punishment and a message to the public about the consequences of driving while intoxicated.

"She's feeling terrible," said Durr about Kuss after the sentencing. He said she has always expressed "extreme remorse."

"It doesn't make up for eight months," said Christopher Deverso about the time since his daughter's death.

He said the day was not about the length of the sentence but that "reality gets to set in for Chelsea."

It made him angry to hear the defense say Kuss was remorseful when he believes she is not, Christopher Deverso said.

"I get to go visit my daughter at the cemetery today," he said, adding that six feet of dirt separate him from her while only two inches of Plexiglass will separate Chelsea from her family at prison.